Achebe Interview

During the Shared Inquiry Discussion, my group and I were able to  reflect on Achebe's Interview with 'The Atlantic' that was published on August 2000. In this SID, my group and I considered the notions that are articulated in the Interview while taking into account Achebe's context of composition that allows him to have a culturally authentic approach to the questions being interrogated. Ultimately, the most meaningful takeaway from the discussion relating to the cultural context of Achebe's work is the fact that he is able to manifest the establishment of his purpose when writing his 'Things Fall Apart' (1958) novel. This is evident as he expresses how he writes not only speaking for African-Americans but rather for a whole "range of people across the globe that does not have the chance to speak about power". I think this really spoke to me as Achebe is able to celebrate his pure Ibi culture that further spurs a sense of nationalistic pride in order to challenge the asserting hegemonic power. By doing so, Achebe is successfully able to establish his cultural authenticity as he showcases the transition into a colonised nation. 

A quote that stood out amongst the rest is definitely when Achebe expresses the imperilment of a single story that instantly would lead to the dangerous effects to our linguistic ethnic like ignorance and cultural divisions between nations. Achebe directly achieves a solid response as he denotes how: "Its not because they don't have something to say, it simply has to do with the division of power, because storytelling has to do with power. Those who win tell the story; those who are defeated are not heard. But that has to change". Such directive tone through the use of the rhetoric persuasion of logos effectually provokes a thoughtful response about our ignorance that reinforces the theme of injustice colonisation. To justify, Achebe highlights the unfair reality of "storytelling" as he expresses how it is the asserting power that write their own perspectives on stories however, Achebe is able to dissent from the norm and exploit linguistic ethnic through his cultural authenticity.